Patrick

Next summer going from Detroit area to Alaska (actually from Florida), have decided to go up through Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay then across to Winnipeg. So tell me about Thunder Bay. Should we spend two nights there to give us a day's exploring? Or should we stay somewhere else near there? Any suggestions where to stay, where to eat, what to do? Thanks for help.

Thunder Boy

Canada's 17th(!) largest city has very little to recommend it to visitors. <BR>Everything on offer in TB is available elsewhere in a more congenial setting. <BR>Give it a miss.

Laurie

Hi...I live in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario and use to live in Wawa, Ontario (3 hours north of Sault Ste. Marie towards Thunder Bay). <BR>The drive between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay is beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in North America. <BR>You are travelling along Lake Superior. Each section of highway offers sights like crystal clear lakes, water falls, awesome hiking trails and natural beauty. Sault Ste. Marie offers wonderful Italian cuisine, as well as many historic sights (this is a very old community). Wawa is very small, but the Wawa Motor Inn is a nice, down home type place to stay, they have cabins you can rent with a lovely view. <BR>Also, a great restaurant. <BR>Thunder Bay, I thought, was a great place. There's a fort there that you can visit during the summer months that shows how the Indians & some of the first settlers in this area came here (how they built canoes, what they cooked,) again, lots of history. <BR>I'd highly recommend this stretch of highway for the beautiful countryside, hospitality, and great food. <BR>What can I say...I'm a Northerner through and through and hope you will take the time to discover this hidden treasure.

Patrick

Thanks Laurie for the info. Since you are in Sault Ste. Marie, maybe you can go a little farther for me. We will be driving up from Dearborn and figured Thunder Bay was much too far for one day, so thought we'd spend a night at Sault Ste. Marie (haven't been there in about twenty years). Any suggestions of where to stay? And tell me where to go for our one great Italian meal there. I really appreciate the first hand info. We had driven towards Thunder Bay from Duluth several years ago, but didn't have the time to go further, so figured the drive all the way around from the East would have to be spectacular.

Thunder Boy

It doesn't say much for the place if the best someone can do is recommend the hiway that passes thru it! <BR>Yes it's a beautiful drive and if you close your eyes driving thru Thunder Bay you won't miss any of it.

Patrick

Guess we are on a different wave length, Thunder Boy. I never expected a list of spectacular cathedrals, museums, or super attractions in the town of Thunder Bay. Nor would I expect it to be the cultural capital of Canada. The beautiful highway running through it is enough for me. Whole books are written about great roads and highways, and I personally am looking forward to doing it and enjoying the scenery. Laurie has given me some good advice for a stop on the way, and was hoping for others. Can't believe there aren't some beautiful waterfalls, scenic overlooks or other things in Thunder Bay area. That's what I'm looking for. If we followed your thinking, Big Sur in California would be a huge nothing --all there is there is a highway passing through it too, yet it is one of my favorite places. But we all enjoy different things.

Bob Brown

A dedicated traveler can find something of interest most any place, except possibly the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. Thunder Bay is no exception. <BR>If you are in Thunder Bay, visit <BR>Kakabekka Falls (not sure of the spelling). They are awesome.

Laurie

Hi...Sure I could recommend a place to stay. One is the Quality Inn on Bay Street. It is within walking distance to the boardwalk, which is right along the St. Marys River, across from the mall, across from Algoma Central Railroad, (where if you have a day you can book a tour of Agawa Canyon). <BR>Some of our favorite Italian restaurants are: Grand Fiesta which happens to be in the Quality Inn on Bay Street. Our very favorite is Ceseria's on Spring Street. It is an older home converted to a restaurant. Everything is home made and wonderful atmosphere. Quite romantic and great service. I love their lasagna! The reason there are so many wonderful Italian restaurants here is because so many Italians came here for work (my father-in-law was one) at the Steel Plant. Many of the restaurants were started by 1st generation Italians and are now run by their children. The Marconi is also a classic... the best ribs around. <BR> <BR>I agree, that the best part of any trip is the scenery along the way. Make sure when you get to Thunder Bay you stop on the highway just as you enter town and see the sleeping giant. It's an image of the land and hills that from this view point looks like a sleeping giant in the water. Pretty cool! <BR>Have fun!

Philip

I used to live in Thunder Bay and there's enough there to fill a day or two. There's Fort William, one of the largest and most extensive forts in Canada, the Terry Fox Memorial, just east of the city, cruises of the harbour and the river, Kakabeka Falls, the view from Mt McKay, lots of skiing, one of the few ski jumping facilities in Canada, the Sleeping Giant, just to name a few. <BR>As well, Thunder Bay is not a small town. It has over 100,000 people and all the facilities and nightlife that a city of that size would offer. <BR>The highway runs by the edge of the city, and you don't see much from there, so next time you're in that area, turn off the highway and get to know the city.

Guylaine

Patrick, The info you received from Sault Ste-Marie is right on. I to ther Sault three times a year and its a wo nderful place for Italian food. <BR>There is a lot to see in ThunderBay and you will be glad to spend an extra day there because the northern drive to and from there leaves you with miles of forest prior to your arrival and more of the same heading west. Thunder Bay will be your oasis. If you love hiking and scenery, definitely worth a one day stop and maybe two. Be flexible, weather has surprises sometimes.

Osman

hii...i m wanting to visit at toronto in canada . but in here visa problem <BR>if can you help me i m ready <BR>dont you forget me? sincerelly yours